Device for increasing buoyancy



Dec. 3, 1929. F. G. sARGENT 1,738,210

DEVICE FOR INCREASING BUOYANCY Filed Sept. 21, 1928 Patented Dec. 3,1929 UNITED STATES FREDERICK G. SARGENT, F WESTFORD, MASSACHUSETTSDEVICE FOR INCREASING BUOYANCY Application filed September 21, .1928.`Serial No. 307,402.

This invention relates to a device for increasing the buoyancy of amachine or the like, particularly for the purpose of assisting in theraising of an aeronautical machine or 5 raising it straight up in theair.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a power drivendevice which will create a partial vacuum in such a place that thedevice will tend to rise and also create in a re-action which willfurther assist in its rising in the air; to provide the device with arecess in which the suction may be created g and to provide as a partthereof a fan in which there will be no loss of air between the isblades and the casing and which will be particularly eflicient forcreating air currents downward to help in lifting the device and can bemade strong and durable.

Other objects and advantages of the in an vention will appearhereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa diametrical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;and

25 Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In this form the device comprises a casing having an air inlet 11 at thetop provided with a regulating damper 12 and a recess 123 3o in thebottom which has no inlet. This recess is located in a hub 14 into whicha driving shaft 15 extends.

The fan arrangement consists of a series of curved blades 16 fixed tothe casing and to a :225 hub 19 and located in the horizontal part ofthe chamber withinit and also a series of inclined blades 17 located inan annular downwardly extending outlet 18.

When the shaft 15 is turned in the proper direction, the casing will berotated as a whole and currents of air will be caused to come into theinlet 11 through the fans and` ont through the outlet 18 which extendsall the way around it. Furthermore, a suction will be set up in thespace 13 reducing the air pressure on that area so that the atmosphericair pressure on the bottom of the hub will be unbalanced and will tendto raise the device in the air. Of course the air currents coming downthrough the outlet 18 all around form a powerful means for raising thedevice` straight upwardly in the air by reaction.

By `having the fan blades all fixed to the casing and rotating thecasing itself, the loss of air pressure in the spaces between the bladesand the casing, where the blades rotate therein, is `entirely avoided.Further-I more, the parts are firmly secured together and are not likelyto get out of order under heavy usage. v

In this way it will be seen that I have providedfor taking advantageoftwo methods of elevation, and that they do not conflict with eachother but co-operate to raise the machine to which this is attacheddirectly upwardly in the air.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the inventionI am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by anyperson skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to belimited to all the details of construction herein shown and described,but what I do claim is 5 1. In a device for the purpose described, thecombination of a rigid casing havingl a horizontal part provided with acentral. inlet eX- tending upwardly and an annular vertically downwardlyextending outlet around the o sides, at the bottom, said casing beingrotatable on its own vertical axis and a series of fan blades mounted instationary position in the horizontal part of the casing 'and tending todirect currents of air down through the inlet, through the casing, anddirectly downwardly through the outlet to tend to lift said casing.

2. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a rigidcasing having a horizontal part provided with an inlet ei:- tendingupwardly and an annular downwardly extending outlet at the sides, aseries of Y fan blades mounted in stationary position in the casing andtending to direct currents of air down through the inlet, through thecasing, and directly downwardly through the outlet and a recess in thebottom of the casing at the center which the rotation of the device willtend to exhaust,thus providing uw balanced pressure at that point andcausing the atmospheric pressure on the bottom to assist in raising it.

3. In a device for the purpose described,V the combination with a casingand fan blades securelyvmounted therein, and an outlet from thecasing-'extend'i rigtdg'rcctlydownvvard-fromV 'w the bottomrf all aroundthecircumference,"

whereby the rotation of the casing Will tend to raise the devicefvofymeansfor}rotatin,f;fthe:-

casing, and a recess inthe bott'o1n`of`the casing at the centerWhich'therotation:ofthe device will tend to exhaust, thus providingunbalanced pressure at-thatpointfand causi ing the atmospheric pressureon the bot-tom toffas'sist irrraisin'git 4. Inf afdevicegfor thepurposedescribedQthe v combination ofVv a` rigid rotatabjle casing hav--in'gxahorizontal partprovided'with 'a1-central 1'inleteztendingupwardiy'and anannular lverl'vticallyl'doyvnwardlyf'extending v"outlet: at'th'e 7 sides; and-'aseriesfof fanf-bl-ades mounted in ystationary position in-thehorizontalpart of thev rcasing -and Itendinglto yinduce currents of airthrough the inlet, through thecasing;

and 1'di'rect1y into the outlet,4 anda vseries of fan blades located insaidoutletf'sothatwhen the casing is rotatedvbothwsets of blades willproduce air currents 'liuto'l` and*` through the outlet In testimonywhereof I` have hereunto at-v xed'my'sign'atureuf Fruairnianrc'irI :Gs-sA-RGENT.

